Drinking tube holder



y 1949- c. B. CORNWELL 2,469,292

DRINKING TUBE HOLDER Filed Aug. 27, 1945 IINVENTOR. Catherine B.Cornwall Aff'y Patented May 3, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DRINKINGTUBE HOLDER Catherine B. Cornwell, Belmont, Calif.

Application August 27, 1945, Serial No. 612,925

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to a tube retaining device and has particularreference to means associated with a drinking glass or tumbler forpositioning and retaining therein against danger of accidentaldisplacement a drinking tube through which the liquid content of theglass is conveyed to the mouth.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of a resilientmember that is readily adjustable over glasses of varying diameters andthe provision with said member that encircles the glass of a pivoteddrinking tube retaining element, that in the preferred form of theinvention can be arranged into a compact form when not in use.

An additional object of the invention is the production, in a modifiedform of the invention, of a clamp element associated with the lassencircling member, which clamp is capable of being positioned beneaththe base of the glass to assure a further positive retention of the tubewithin the glass and to avoid the possibility of displacement of theglass encircling member.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of thecharacter described that is simple in construction, economical tomanufacture, positive in operation, strong, durable and highly efiicientin use.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of thefollowing description:

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and inwhich like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout thesame,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a glass having my invention associatedtherewith,

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of a modified form of the invention in whichan auxiliary clamp is associated with the glass encircling members, and

Fig. 3 is an edge elevation of the same, the glass being shown insection.

Invalids in hospitals and in homes when confined to bed, experiencegreat difliculty in retaining a liquid holding glass in one hand and theconventional drinking tube in the other. Furthermore, the tubefrequently falls from the glass when the tube is being used by theinvalid or when the glass is being conveyed to the invalid by the nurseor other attendants. The dropping of the tube to the floor either whilebeing used by or being conveyed to a patient, often results in a loss ofa tube, or a breaking of a tube, or if the tube falls intact it isfrequently crushed when stepped upon, resulting in a dangerous,unsightly and unsanitary condition, particularly in a hospital. Totherefore provide a medium to prevent accidental displacement of thetube from the glass, and to thus overcome the above recited annoyancesand inconveniences, I have devised the present invention.

In the accompanying drawing wherein for the purpose of illustration isshown the preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 4 designatesa glass or tumbler that is provided adjacent its mouth portion with acircumferential flared portion 5. An expansible circular member 6 havingthe form of a helical spring encircles the glass directly beneath theflared portion 5, the flared portion preventing a riding of the memberto the top of the glass. It will be noted that the said expansiblemember 8 is equipped with hook ends 1 and 1 that are receivable inopenings 8 and 9, respectively, formed in the reduced extremities of apin ID. This pin is solid throughout the greater portion of its lengthand is so constructed and arranged relative to the hook ends I and 1that it has a dual function. It not only serves to connect the ends ofthe member 6 to provide a continuous glass encircling medium, but, asillustrated to advantage in Fig. 1, also serves to receive and pivotallyretain thereon the upwardly bent clamping end ll of a metal strip I2. Thsaid strip it will .be noted is provided with an enlarged head l3 havingan opening 14 therein.

A drinking tube I5 of conventional form is disclosed as passing throughthe opening l4 and will be partially immersed in any liquid contained inthe glass with the upper end of the tube being readily accessible sothat the liquid can be drawn to the mouth of the user.

In the modified form of the invention disclosed to advantage in Figs. 2and 3 instead of employing a single strip I2, I utilize an auxiliaryclamping element that is designated as a whole by the numeral l6, whichclamping element is provided at its upper end with a pair of ears H andat its lower end with a base 18 formed at right angles to the body ofthe clamp and underlies the bottom of the glass. It will be noted thatthe ears of the auxiliary clamp encircle the pin it and thus provide apivotal mounting of the clamp on said pin so that the base I8 may bereadily positioned beneath the bottom of the glass. In this instance thebent end ll of the strip I2 is pivotally mounted between the space earsI1 and is free to move therebetween. When the device is used on glassesthat have nonspring or an elastic band be employed; will cause a snugfitting of: said member about the glass. The said strip I 2 is thenmoved on its pivot to assume the inclined position illustrated in Fig.1.

Thereafter the tube is trained through the opening Id of the strip anddownward pressure on'the tact the side and bottom of the glass. Whn

thus positioned the upper end 'of thefitubeiwl'll rbe readily accessibleto the user to draw the liquid from the glass. It will be.obvious thatpressure of the lower end of the tube against the side and base" of'theglassand the angular 'position of-the striprelative to the mouth of theglass will pre-r a glass, comprising an elastic ring-shaped membercompressible about the body of the glass, said member having hook ends,a cross pin having openings in the extremities thereof for re- 5 ceivingthe hook ends of said compressible member, an elongated strip pivotallyconnected at its lower end to said pin, said strip having an opening inits upper end for receiving the drinking tubev therein,.-anauxiliarpaclamphavinga bot- 10 tom portionaipositioned beneath thebasevof the glass, and spaced apertured ears formed on the upper end ofsaid clamp capable of encompassing said pin and defining a pivotalmounting for the upper'endof'isaid clamp about said pin. tube will causethe lower end of the tube to (cone M CATHERINE B. CORNWELL.

REFERENCES CITED Thefollo'wing references are of record in the "go fileof this-patent:

UNITEDLYSTAIEESK PATENTS! ventaccidental displacement of the tube: NameDate It is to-beunderstoodthat the forms'ofmy in= Haygoo'd-- July 13;1897" ventionherewithshownand-describedare-1:o"be' 5 Clarke Aug:'-1-5,-19l1 taken'as preferred examples-of the same-and-that-1,1'07,700"--"" Pick zi' Aug.= 18,"1-914"- various changes relative tothe material, size? 1,18%,851 Haroutunian May-30,-"1-916 shape andarrangement "of partsmayberesorted 1,735,1'44 Tanner Nov-2 12,1929 towithout-'departing"from the spirit'oi the in-"- FOREIGNAPATENTSU ventionor the scopepf the subJomed'claim. 30 v Havingthus described myinvention, I claim: Number y; DateF A devi'cefor retaining'adrinkingtube within fifi Mallr=3l4j1905

